Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Jorge Fernandocelebrated his 25 years in show business in May 2000 with a celebrity concert in Lisbon's Tivoli theatre. He was 16 when he became a professional fado singer and guitarist. Jorge Fernando toured more than 5 years the world when Carlos Goncalves asked him to join the band of Amália Rodriguez.His first solo success happened in 1983 when he performed at the RTP festival with the song "Brancas Para O Meu Amor" which earned him a record deal. In 1985 Fernando performed again at the RTP festival and the song "Umbada" became a number one hit for several months in the Portuguese hit parade.These days Jorge Fernando is considered as one of the most important male fado singers and writer/composer in Portugal. He released several successful albums in Portugal in his long spanning career.

Fado(translated as destiny or fate) is a music genre which can be traced from the 1820s in Portugal, but probably with much earlier origins. In popular belief, Fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor. However, in reality Fado is simply a form of song which can be about anything, but must follow a certain structure.The music is usually linked to the Portuguese word saudade (that has no match in English but it could be understood as nostalgia felt while missing someone), a word describing a sentiment. Another similar English translation can be to pine for something or someone.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Mark Ermler occupies a prominent place among Soviet musicians. Well-known to music lovers of this and other countries, his name often appears in the bills of our leading theatres, the Bolshoi, and other major concert halls and theatres.Ermler was born in Leningrad in the familie of the prominent film director, People's Artist of the USSR, Friedrich Ermler.